To Visit or Not to Visit...

So I have had the "pond question" posted for about a month now and I have yet to post an answer and change the question. So, hopefully you have had enough time to ponder this question because today is the day that I actually attempt to answer it myself. The question, "why is it so difficult to get visiting/home teaching done by the end of the month," was inspired by my aunt Julie. It is not the first time that this question has been posed to me however when she was talking about how difficult it was to teach the sisters in her ward how important visiting teaching was I sat guiltily in my chair and thought about how I have been less than perfect with this important calling. I remember thinking, "I bet that my Relief Society president is thinking the same thing about me." There are many people out there who love visiting teaching, who get it done by the 2nd day of the month and arrive with a thought, lesson, handout and treat. And there are others in this world that have good intentions but then allow themselves to get caught up in the thick of thin things, therefore allowing visiting teaching to fall by the wayside with promises to "do it next month." I am one of the latter and so I have asked myself, "why?" Why can I have my lesson planned for relief society every month without a problem, why can I get all my laundry done, why can I plan play dates for my 2-year-old, why can I plan trips to Utah, but for some reason struggle when it comes to a small visit with a friend once a month?
My first thought was it was because I have a companion that doesn't want to go. We started off great, we started off strong and then I started hearing from her less and less. We would plan appointments but she wouldn't show up. We would try and find a date that worked for both of us and there would be no appointments set up. I struggled with the fine line of "not doing it FOR her vs not getting it done." For a small minute I rationalized that that was my problem but then reality sank in and I realized that my rationalization was simply an excuse and a poor one at that. Visiting teaching is not about having a companion that likes to go or that will set up all the appointments it is about serving the Lord by serving the sisters.
So I continued to ask myself "why?" I then decided that it was difficult for me to get VT done because the few small minutes that I have with my family are cherished and the last thing that I wanted to do was leave again. It isn't very often that I get my husband and child both in the same house and awake at the same time. "I need to hold onto these moments and make the most of them," I told myself. I held onto that rationalization for about a millisecond when I realized that, once again, my thinking was all backwards. Visiting teaching can be done at any time during the day and once again, VT is not about me it is about serving the Lord by serving the sisters.
I continued to ponder and I decided that there is no good reason why it should be difficult. I have realized that what it boils down to is that my heart was not converted to the vision of Visiting Teaching. I have to stop and evaluate my motives. Visiting teaching is not about numbers, it is not about the "reporting phone call," it is not about crossing another thing off the list or adding another thing to it. What it really boils down to is Love. It is all about loving the Lord and wanting to help take care of His children. It is about forgetting yourself, your "to do list," your errands and loving you sisters. There will always be time to get the dishes done, to run to the store, to change the laundry but there wont always be time to make a friend, to love a sister, to help, support, and rejoice with those that you will come to love as you serve.
That is my journey, that is my new resolve, that is what I have learned about myself. VT is not "inconvenient" and when we look at it that way we are not truly fulfilling our calling. VT is an opportunity to love, to serve, to learn, to grow, to be obedient. So, I am making a promise to myself and all those that are reading, I will do my visiting teaching every month. I already love the sisters I get to visit so now it is time to really visit, how lucky am I!?

'Tis the Season...

Cougar season that it. Oh the joys of having 2 boys that live, drink, and breath college football. The first game of many this fall kicks off this Saturday at 3:30 in Provo, Utah and yes, folks, we will be there. I am actually kind of excited to feel the adrenalin from a thousand other people and not just my husband and little boy, although, they definitely hold their own. Cade wore his BYU shirt yesterday, that he got from Jason and Melissa for his birthday, and had to tell everyone that it was "B-Y-----, U" it was too funny.

The other day we had my niece Amelia come over and play for a few hours. I decided to pull the camera out as we played and got a couple of fun shots. Cade loves Amelia so much and will smother her with kisses at a drop of a hat. It was so much fun to have 2 little ones playing together, they are such a joy!

It is amazing how the capacity of a mom changes over time. I have always loved Cade and always wanted to care for him. However, it hasn't been until just recently that I have realized that he is not just my little boy but my friend too! We have had so much fun together and I have found so much joy in him. I no long feel that I am "entertaining him" but that we are now entertaining each other. I find myself often lost in his imagination, in his passion for life and his curiosity. I love this new part of the mom world. I feel so blessed to have him as my son, my teacher, and my friend.

Running Fast and Birthday Songs

I found these shoes on clearance at Target for $3.00 so I thought that I would give them a shot. I was tempted to not even give them to Cade because they wont fit for much longer but thought that I couldnt go wrong with $3.00 so I broke them out. As soon as I pulled them out of the box Cade went crazy with excitement and was on cloud nine. We put them on while we were watching Clifford and all Cade wanted to do was put his feet up to the TV and show Clifford his new shoes. We then headed outside to run some errands and Cade could not stop running. He would run and run and then look at me and say, "very fast, mom, very fast!" He hasn't stopped running since.

Our birhtday celebrations started first thing yesterday morning when Cade woke up and walked out of his room and said, "Its my birthday!!!" I was so surprised that he remembered but he was so excited. Every where we went he would tell everyone, "I two!" He definitely miked his birthday for all that it was worth! To wrap up the celebration we had a little BBQ Baseball party with a few friends from the ward. He was so excited to show off his baseball cake and was happier than usual to pose for a picture, that was until we started to sing "happy birthday." I dont know what it was but he first tried to hide behind his hands and then when it didnt stop he stared crying. It was sad but in reality it was really cute.

He got lots of fun presents that you can see that he was very, very, very excited about. Curious Gerorge and Elmo books, bubbles, cars, balls, airplanes, tools, all of his FAVORITE things!

The night ended with a bang and he got to chow down on his cake. He was so excited with everything going on he just didnt know where to go next. He is such a goof and is so much fun to have around!

What Has Taken Me 2 Years to Learn...

It was 2 years ago today that this little bundle was placed in my arms and I thought, "oh, so you mean I actually take him with me...." I always knew that being pregnant equaled having a baby in the end but it didn't really seep in until I was actually holding him and realized that I had no clue what I was doing. I am so thankful for these past 2 years, that in all reality feel like they have just been my whole life. This little man has opened my eyes to a whole new world, he has taught me things about myself and others that I would have never seen with my own eyes, he has shown me what life is really about.
One of the most important things that Cade has taught me is to trust myself. When we first brought him home we had a really hard time getting him to eat. I now look back and laugh at those few short moments that felt like a life time because the answer was so simple but yet so foreign. During those early days I was terrified to be alone with him... "what if he cried and I didnt know what to do?" "What if he spit up a funny color and I didn't know how to take care of it?" "What if he made a noise that was important but I didn't pick up on it?" All so silly, yet they were so real. However, once my mom talked some sense into me, about 1oo times, I realized that I knew more instinctively than I thought I did, simply because he was my baby and I was his Mama. It has been fascinating these past few years to see how you some how figure it out. You might not be right the first, second, or even the third time but you eventually figure it out and they still love you. I learned after many agonizing days that I needed to read the books and listen to advice but then throw the books out and file away the advice and allow my new read learnings to work around what was best for us instead of the other way around.
I have also learned that life is messy, and that is okay. When he was a little guy I prided myself on always having him in unspattered clothes, with a clean face and combed hair.... and then he turned 1. Now, don't get me wrong, I like him to be clean and I dont let him run around with a booger nose but if there is a remnant of lunch on his shirt, thats okay, everyone will know that his mom feeds him. If his hair is messy when we are running errands, thats okay, everyone will know that his mom is letting him be independent. If he has dirt under his fingernails and on his knees when we are playing at the park, that is okay, everyone will know that he is having a fun time. Being messy goes hand in hand with being a boy, or maybe with being a toddler, but I at least know that it just adds a little "character" to life.
Cade has taught me how to love. I never knew that my heart had the capacity to love as much as I love him. He is such a gentle little soul with so much goodness that twinkles in his eyes. I honestly remember when I was pregnant being worried that I wouldn't "love the baby." As silly as it sounds, it was a real fear of mine. However, the moment that I saw him and he grabbed a hold of my little finger I knew that he was one of the greatest gifts I would ever receive. Last night when I was putting him to bed I couldnt help but relive that memory and smile to myself because not only do I love this little man deeply, I love him more than I could have ever imagined.
I think that one of the most important things that I have learned while being a mom is to laugh. Life is not as serious as I like to think that it needs to be sometimes. I have learned that when the lunch is thrown on the floor, you need to laugh. When the water is spilled all over the car seat as well as the Sunday dressed child, you need to laugh. When a ball is hit with a little more force than you expected out of a toddler and accidentally hits a picture, you need to laugh. When you walk into the bathroom and the floor is covered with water and bubbles that started out in the tub, you need to laugh. Now the toddler doesnt always have to SEE the laugh but it makes the mom much happier. Lessons always need to be taught and can be, even if there is a smile on your face. I am definitely not perfect and tend to err on the upset side but I have found time and time again life is happier, easier, and healthier when you laugh, and for some reason, the little ones remember better when mom laughs.
So, thank you my little man. For being such a good boy, bringing so much joy and happiness into our home and being such a light. Daddy and I love you so very much and are so thankful for who you are and who you are becoming. Happy Birthday little one!

As Previously Promised

I mentioned in an earlier post that I had in fact not only attempted wake boarding but that I had actually gotten up. So, I just wanted to document that fact, if for none else, myself. It was so much fun and such a step outside my comfort zone that I am rather proud of myself. I spent the day watching everyone else do it and trying to mentally figure out how to do it and I guess that paid off. Not that I am a pro and in reality I ate it big time, but that is all "part of the experience" or so they say ;) But all in all, I had a blast and just wanted to share my little accomplishment. So there you have it folks, Lacey wake boarding, it really did happen.

Baby Girls, High Heals, and Big Boy Beds

Just a small disclaimer before you start reading, these pictures are NOT the best. The lighting is awful but it all about the moment. Yesterday we had some friends bring over their little girl for us to babysit so they could go to the temple. Well, she was sleeping when they dropped her off and Cade could not wait for her to wake up. He waited patiently and I only had to remind him about 10 times that the baby was sleeping to which he would quickly bring his finger up to his mouth and say, "shhhhhhh, baby sleeping." When she woke up he was so excited and wanted to play ball with her so badly. I told him that she was hungry and that we needed to feed her so he ran to the table and grabbed his bib and sippy and tried to give them to her. I couldn't help but smile at his immense desire to help and so I showed him how to hold her bottle that he wanted to do all by himself. He also beamed when he got to hold her and was so sad when he had to give her back. It was a fun night to have a little one in our home again and even more fun that our little one enjoyed the really little one even more.

I left my shoes in the living room last night and after Cade had his tubby this morning (hence the no clothes) he headed straight toward "mommy's oes" (mommy's shoes) and put them on. I laughed and laughed as he tried to scoot them through the house because he couldn't pick up his feet. I asked him, "what mom does in her shoes," and that his how I ended up with the crossed leg picture. It is amazing what little ones come up with sometimes.

Cades newest thing is sleeping on the floor. For some reason he doesn't like sleeping in his bed and continually opts for the floor. Two nights ago wasn't any different and after many attempts he ended up on the floor. After about an hour I could hear strange noises coming from his room. Jared went to check on him and after a search we found him asleep under the bed. He was rolling around and kept bumping the top of the bed, that is what we could hear. This morning I decided to take the front off of his crib because he can get out of it anyway, in an attempt to have him sleep in his bed. He thought that it was really neat this afternoon and couldn't wait for nap time. He crawled right in and zonked out. However, now here I sit, 10:05pm and Cade is once again.... On the floor. That was short lived. You gotta love little boys.

The Great Shower Meltdown

So, on Saturday I had a baby shower for a friend. It was really fun to plan and put together but there was one minor meltdown. I found these really cute ice cream sandwiches that you make with sugar cookies and sherbet that I was SO excited to make. I planned and planned trying to find a way to keep them frozen while they were out, thinking that would be my biggest difficulty. Not so much. I spent a great deal of time on Friday making the sandwiches and also the chocolate dipped strawberries. Well, Saturday morning came around and I pulled the strawberries out of the fridge only to see that they had condensation all over them and were starting to get mushy inside...YIKES. I tried to laugh it off and had Jared taste test about 1o of them to make sure they tasted okay. He gave me the thumbs up and headed out the door to hang out with the boys. Well, I then turned to the freezer to pull the sandwiches out and found they were all smooshed and there was sherbet all over the bottom of my freezer. I couldn't believe my eyes. I quickly pulled out the recipe and realized that I had missed a very important step while making them because I got caught up talking on the phone so they turned out less than perfect. I once again turned to my trust worthy hubby and had him stop at the store to pick up some muffins. To which he returned with $40.00 worth of muffins. haha, I guess better to have WAY too much than not enough. He is such a good guy.

So, all in all it turned out okay. The empty platter is the one that ended up being filled with muffins. It was fun to chat with the girls and celebrate the soon birth of a baby.

...And You Can Be a Big Fish Too...

I thought that I would share some of Jareds trip to Alaska. They flew out on Sunday and spent the next 3 days on the Ocean fishing away. He went with his brother Jason and his nephew Chandler and had a BLAST. As you can see they weren't fishing for your "typical" trout but came home with king salmon, lean cod, red snapper, and halibut, 300 pounds of it to be exact. Yes, you did see that clearly, 300 pounds. Needless to say, a great deal of our future diet will consist of fish.

They also had some pretty amazing scenery around them. They got to wake up every morning to this beautiful sight and spend the day surrounded by nature. They had a wonderful time fishing, laughing, eating, and just spending some "boy" time together!

I Am Home...Sort Of....

Wow, I am finally back and blogging. Last week Cade and I went to Ohio while Jared went to Alaska to go fishing. My mom flew out on Friday night only to pick Cade up and leave the next morning back to Ohio. She was able to fly straight through and I followed that night taking a flight through JFK.

Cade LOVES his uncles so so so much. He had so much fun wearing Aarons hat and sun glasses and making crazy faces with him. He couldn't get enough of Ryan and just wanted to do everything that he was doing. He would follow Papa around the house and could melt Umas heart with one simple glance or a flash of a smile.

We played and played outside despite the heat and the humidity. He loved the slides, swings, and playhouse. I actually came home on Friday and left him in Ohio to spend some quality time with my family so I could spend some quality time with my hubby. Jared and I have been alone together for a whole day now and still keep thinking that we need to get back and "pick up Cade."

We are however, having a great time together. We stayed in bed this morning and read a book...how often do you do that!?! We were also able to go to the home design center Saturday and pick out some of the things for our new home. So much fun!!

So, that is a small update for a long absence. I had a wonderful time in Ohio with my family and am having a great time "dating" my hubby again. We do however, miss our little boy like CRAZY! Thanks mom and dad for being so sweet and excited to take him...give him hugs and kisses for us.